Evening Star Newspaper, November 18, 1923, Page 77

THE SUNDAY STAR, - Government Testing of Ordnance An Effective Branch of the Service r {s Plant Near Aberdeen Was Established in Course of War at Cost of Ten Million Dollars, and Has Been Scene of Many Important Experiments—Some Instruments Enable Experts to Meas- ure Speed of Bullet in Flight With as Much Accuracy as Is Emgloyed by Carpenter When He Gets Dimensions of Floor Joist. BY MAJ. C. R. PETTIS, U. S. A. UTOMOBILE companies spend thousands of dollars yearly in developing and improving types of cars, Before an automobile companhy puts out a new car it bullds an experi- mental car and subjects it to fong and exhaustive tests to bring out ‘any de- fects, before it is willing to give it to the public and to stake Its reputation on it. milarly it is necessary for the ordnance department to test out thor- oughly all material before placing it in the hands of troops. The weapons must be deadly for the encmy, but safe for our soldiers to use Before the world testing ground was N. J. The ord best it could w but was so limited by that the science advanced but and t) firing of a dozen 13 was almost an event. When we entered the world evident that our | facilities would have to be greatly creased. A board was appointed by the War Department to select a suitable site for a proving ground that would be ade- quate to our needs. It ne sary to select an area that would be large enough for & long range guns, and it had to be somewhat isolated in order to avoid dan, ding inhabi- tants. Anot s that it should be c industrial area to keep in tou the prin- fon facto war the ordnance at Sandy Hook, department aid the lties at hand, ke forty | Construte- | post has its 1l lighting supply; f of concrete iroad on st of the id in ad- expended and sheps, which T of 1919, Bay near Aberdee: miles north: tion started own water, p there are tu : miles roads and thirty the reservation. con for aviation 1 were added in deen is four miles long. on land e of forty This gives a of fifteen mil miles firing ov water. In erdar ito its during the firing there are sixteen «bservation towers, which extend u distance of thirty miles on the eastern shore. The extent of the instrumgntal work which is performed in connaction with the firing s indicated by the fact that in one year 34,000 velocjty measurements were made. Here we find facilities for testing all types of guns, carriages, ammunition, tractors and hombs. ;There are instru- ments which enable the ordnance ex- pert to measure the speed of a bullet in flight with as much hccuracy as is ob- talned by a carpentér who measures a floor joist with a foqt rule, The first shot was fired at Aberdecn on January 2, 1918, in a blinding snow- storm. From this small be ning the work Increased very rapidiy and by the middle of the summer 50,000 rounds per month were being fired. Before the war 4 gun was generally defined as a weapon which was fired at an elevation not gxceeding fifteen de- grees. The Army ordnance officers had developed the scieAce of ballistics to a very high degree for the weapons which were then In use. With the greatly in- creased use of airckaft during the world war it became necessary to increase the elevation of guns until some of them had to be fired almost vertically. The ordnance officers found that thelr bal- listic theories were inadequate for pro- jectiles fired at such high elevations. They called on the colleges of the country for professors of mathematics and astronomy. When the astronomers examined the benavior of projectiles high in the alr they quickly discovered that some of their theories for comets and shooting stars checked very closely with the action of the projectiles. As a result they used mathematical formulas with which they were familiar and soon put the science of ballistics on a much more satisfactory basis than it had ever been before. While all necessary fleld tests of ordnance material are made at the proving ground, fhe design and con- struction of new' types Is done else- where. The first impulse for the design of a new type mgy come from various sources, such as the infantry or some other combatant arm which uses the weapon, or from a clvilian inventor, or from the ordnange department Itself. Before cxperiments are made on any new type of gun it 1s carefully consid- ered by a board of officers on which all branches of the sdrvice are represented. 1f this board considers that the type has sufficlent mesit to justify a tryout! the ordnance depirtment is authorized to go ahead with ‘the development. The first step in the development of a new gun s the construction of a wooden model, in order that the board may see ‘whether the modél appears to be cor- rectly proportionedl with a view to fleld service. Then drawings and specifica tions are prepared by the ordnance de- partment and an' experimental gun is made at one of ithe government ar- senals. This first fun is called a “pllot.” The pilot 1s sent to the proving ground and Is there subjetted to tests in order to bring out any défects of material, de- sign or workmanship. The extent of these tests varies.considerably accord- ing to circumstances. If the new model ; is only a modification of some existing type, the test méy not be very ex- tensive. If it is an entirely new model it may be necessary to fire thousands | of rounds before final acceptance. Dur- ing the war 50,00 rounds were fired from one type of gun. ‘When a new gun has passed its test at Aberdeen It is then sent to be tried out by troops In the fleld. If it is an in- fantry weapon, it will probably be sent to Camp Benning, :Ga.; If for the fleld artillery, to Fort Bragg, N. C. * k k% T 18 recognized that thore may be & material difference between a small lot of shell manufastured in an arsenal where the work is yone largely by hand and using laborato}y methods and the <ame type of shell,when manufactured in a large plant by machine work and using methods of juantity production. For this reason a new type of ordnance material {s never :considered entirely satisfactory until an order hss been given to some manufacturer and the abs: FOUR-THOUSAN D-POUND BOMB, THE LARGEST EVER MADE. IT HOLDS A TON OF EXPLOSIVE, AND IS FOURTEEN FEET LONG. IT 1S DROPPED FROM A LARGE AIRPLANE OF THE OWL, BAR- LING OR MARTIN TYPE. manufacturer’'s material has proved by test to be fully up to the ex- pectations which were indicated by the experimental lot. When a manufacturer is making de- livery of ammunition on 8 War Depart- ment order a small percentage of each lot is sent to Aberdeen for test, to see that all dellveries are up to standard quality. One of the safety problems on which the ordnance department Is working at present is the development of a fuse for the 2,000-pound aerial bombs. The fuse must explode the bomb if it is dropped on the enemy, but must not explode if the bomb is dropped accidentally, or if it becomes necessary for the avlator to drop it on account of engine trouble. In order to work this out experiments are made by dropping the bombs from an elevation of 8,000 feet. Largely as a result of work which was done at the Aberdeen proving ground the range of the six-Inch eea- coast gun was increased from 12,000 yards before the war to 26,000 yards at the present time. The range was thus more than doubled by giving to the pro- Jectile a new shape, giving to the gun a greater elevation and using powder of better ballistic qualities. Such re- sults are not obtained without spending considerable money on experimental work. As an asset to our nation In time of war, such results are well worth the price. Even In industry we occaslonally have accidents where explosives are used. The work at Aberdeen is not entirely without danger, but the num- ber of casualties to date has been small. During the war the army contingent at Aberdeen had the usual Army de- sire to go overseas and see actlon; but an Army cannot fight without good guns, and it was the function of the force at Aberdeen to see that Ameri- can troops had the best guns possible. Their work is highly essential and even vn:vgrnor been | | vrved | ness. in time of peace they have the satisfac- tion of getting concrete results whose value is obvious. * ¥ x ¥ N order for the indlvidual citizen of | the United States to carry out his responsibility in regard defense, it Is nec: self informed. Following out the ordnance department at times gives exhibitions at the Aber- deen nroving ground, to which are in- e=rineers and business men, whose co-operation is necessary if the American sclence of ordnance is to keep pace with our other industrial sclences. On October 26, an exhibition was glven for the Army Ordnance Asso- clation and the American Iron and Steel Institute. Among those present at this meeting were the assistant secretary of war, the chief of ord- nance, Benedict Crowell, assistant secretary of war during the war; Judge Gary and Mr. Farrell of the United States Steel Corporation; Mr. Schwab of Bethlehem Steel and many others prominent in trade and busi- About a thousand people were present and all seemed much Inter- ested In the demonstration. During the luncheon there were several short speeches and the prevalling sentiment seemed to be that all were willing to co-operate to the fullest extent for national defense. On October 30 there was another exhibition, which was given for the Soclety of American Military Engi- neers, the American Soclety of Clvil Engineers and the American Insti- tute of Mining and Metallurgical En- gineers. There was a gathering of engineers from Washington, Phila- delphia, New York and as far west as Chicago. S. M. Felton, president of the Chicago Great Western Rallroad and Gen. W. C. Langfitt, appeared much interested in the proceedings. During the last war, Mr. Felton was UNCLE SAM'S BIG SIXTEEN-INCH HOWITZER RAILROAD MOUNTS, ’ to natfonal | ary for him to | with the corps of engineers and bought six hundred million dollars' worth of rallroad equipment for use in France. Gen. Langfitt as chief en- glneer of the American Expeditionary Forces had charge of many activities which helped to keep the railroads in France busy hauling freight. Rejuvenation By J. A. Waldron HE season at a summer resort regarded as “exclusive” was at its height. A great hotel which commanded the sea on one side with grounds stretching far in the opposite direction was thronged. It was just after the luncheon h ur. Many in the crowd were gay in attire and spirits, prepared for sports. Young men and women were pafring for tennis, and older men, bronzed and vigorous, would invade the links. Others moved toward launches and motor boats, and yachts gayly flagged rose and fell with the swell of the sea. Motors were parked in line, awaiting orders. Two chairs on the piazza designed to solace laziness and placed advan- tageously for observation were oc- cupfed by two women who apparent- 1y had settled to survey, estimate and comment upon those in view. These women were of an age th detaches Impulse from activity and increases the sex’s love for gossip. | They talked in confidential tones | about the dress, or the appearance, or the social position of persons who passed, with now and then a whis- pered touch of scandal relating to |one or another guest happily oblivi- | ous of this impertinent attention. A woman who might have been fifty | vears of age appeared. She had been very handsome, and her grooming. which would embarrass a casual guess as to her years. made her stiil attractive. She stepped buoyantly down to a waiting sport car and was assisted in by @ handsome man of perhaps thirty, who took the wheel | His manner was both intimate and |deferential. Apparently Insulted | mentally as to the gaze of others, | the woman smiled fondly upon him as | he took a seat by her side. | "THE two women on the piazza had watched the episode breathlessly. For the moment they seemed dumb. “Mrs. Welllng! Did you see her?" asked one. “Is it really Mrs. Welling? T wasn't | certain. I was wondering," the other replted. “Of course it is Mrs. Welling! She recognized me with her eyes as she | passea” “But she dldn't bow.” “She must have sensed my aston- ishment. She was embarrassed.” “But she didn’t seem embarrassed. | Her polse was perfect.” | “You know what I mean, dear. She is too well balanced. Isn't it | wonderful—her appearance? And the | change in her! When I last saw her in town she was in mourning.” “And Wellington has been dead at least five years!” “And she looked actually ish!” “I haven't seen her in a year. I heard she was a recluse, living as quietly—alone in that great house on the avenue in town—as though in @ convent." “Who would have imagined 1t? She looks ten years younger. Even her figure. And did you note her hair? Wonderful! She must have a coif- feuse among her servants here!" “She has money enough to buy youth itself.” “You mean her own youth again?* The speaker’s Jaugh was envious. “Almost that, even. And more than enough to buy youth in another.” They laughed together, and sound was not mellow, “But that may be just what means! What else—whom else—can that comparatively young man be? And isn't he good looking!” frump- the ER companion gossip sat ab- stractedly thinking. “His face s famillar. Wal And after an- other moment: “I used to know that man. I mean I used to see him. e lived In an apartment near us. Had a very handsome wife, who was in- clined to be gay. They dldn't seem t along together, or to have much money. He was a superintend- ent of something downtown—on sal- “Do you remember the nmame “Stuart.” “Why, I saw something last week in a newspaper. It may not mean anything. There are probably many persons named Stuart. This was a note to the effect that Mr. Reginald Stuart had just returned from Reno, where he had been divorced. I al- ways devour such news, even when I don't know the persons.” “Ah! Can there be so many Stu- arts named Reginald? That was his name, I remember. Maybe he is Mrs. Welling's chauffeur. He may *have lost his position while out in Nevada.” “But would Mrs. Welling smile on a chauffeur as she smiled upon him?" “Even younger women do that.” They laughed together again grat- ingly. “We must find out about this" The speaker rose and looked down at her companion silently but sig- nificantly. ‘The other rose as though consclous that they were dn collusion to something mean. They went to the hotel desk to- gether. It is no longer possible for the vulgarly curious to mull over a hotel register in a place of note. The two women set about an Inquiry ap- parently Innocent. They plied the clerk with subtle questions. Finally ;he treated them as meddlers, but in a way that left no room for com- plaint. “I_know of no Mrs. Welling stop- ping here,” he sald. “But we saw her just a moment ago—the lady who drove off in a green aport car.” ¢ “A green sport car, eh?” responded the clerk, looking hard at them. “That was Mr. and Mrs. Stuart™ {(Copyright, 1923.) WASHINGTON, it | D. ¢, NOVEMBER 18, 1923—PART 5. I INTERNATIONAL BOOTLEGGER RACE Wallace Irwin's Letters of a Japanese Schoolboy. To the Editor of The Star: EAREST SIR: Cousin Nogl Me and my fell out last week, but this week we fell in again. All this hap- pen over one (1) krt. tomato gin. a curlo liquid which turn the eyes bias & make the heart so warm that It gets covered with boils. Could I shipp you a case, price 42§ with no risk axept health? Annyhow, here is what collapsed. Last Wednesday @ 8 p.m. (even- Ing) Cousin Nogl come sneekretively to my Thinking Studlo and report with voice peculiar to Gen. Len Wood; “Togo let byegones be has-beens. 1f you will gulde yourself over to Samural Lodging rooms where I are now enjoying cold, what do you think 1 shall open? “A window perhapsly,” I narrate comitose. “Larger than that!” he chuck. “I have a bottled Beveridge which should be drank by France to make her more sweethearted toward Ger- many. Two (2) drops from that Lickour will settle all International Problems, kill cockroaches and Gov. Smith joking about Pinchot. ‘What could I do, Mr. Editor? I did ‘When next seen I wi in the rooming compartment of Cousin Nogi while he corkscrewed a Bottel of that remarkabilious Gin he mentioned about. He pour my glass. glass. I look. “What are it made from that give it that dangerous color peculiar to a tafl-light exploiding?* I ask to know. “It are made from the julce of the tomato-catchup vine, squeezed gently into a lce-cream freezer tull of vinegar, garlick & maple sugar. The rest are a secret. Drink and see what happen.” 1 took slight gollup. Hon. Stum- mick stood up twice and sat down on himself. “Do it not make you feel quite In- ternational?” require Nogl. “Undoubtlessly!” 1 holla. “I feel tike a Finn singing hymns in a Mex- ican garage.” ‘Goodby!" hoila Nogl, taking slight bump of that high-power drunk, “and now we can discurse on Topicks.” He hand me a red-headed cigar, price 4c. He pour his 1 * K k¥ uTor‘.o." he commence, “have you noticed Internationalism this week?” “Indeedly have,” I hick. “Europe have got it so bad that there must be war unless Col. Harvey put on his sateen pants & go back there with some more soap in his speeche “You are talking like a potato peel- er” he dib. “Took another drunk of my Patent Gin and you will be able to see clearly in circle 1 do =0 and was kicked. “Here are what I are shooting at,” say Nogi, speaking out of scrambled clouds. “I wish talk to you about In- ternational Sport and what it have done for America.” “If it are too horble do not tell any farther!” T deploy. “It are o pretty swollen blessing, by golly,” he romp. “Sport have stuck friendship together like fly-paper making love to postage-stamp. From everywhere come famus sporters with golt-club, box-gloves, yackts & horse- shoes to defeat America In jolly com- bat of brotherhood, That old tea- dog, Sir Bart Lipton, arrive with Sham Rock boat to glue new love be- “SOMETHING DIFFERENT WOULD BE INTERNATIONAL BOOTLEG RACE.” tween the Irish-speaking people of the world. Englishman come annu. ally to play polo game at Polo Grounds amidst entwisted flags of two (2) nations. Then observe horse- racing, it convenient! Hon. Papyrus race at Belmont Park to show U. S. that mud is thicker than water. Eng- lsh sporters are so pleased to lose thet they sing God Save the King to tune of My Country Tis of Thee. And what nextly?” 1 were disabled to reply, because my brain had fallen off. T shall dictate to you,” acknudge Nogl lovely. “U. S. & Canada com- mence getting pretty international also. Observe that Fisher Boat Race, all the way from here to there by water. Happy cod-catchers from both sides of Dominion Line scoot side by side, flopping their intelligent sails and swearing friendship at each other. What could be nicer?" “If you cannot talk without asking | questions,” T renig, “maybe you bet- | ter go & leave me with your Gin.” | “If all the cross countries of Eu- rope, which now set feeling patri- | otick and hoping they can steal some thing else,” bumple Nogi, “should commence International sporting, | think what quantities of bloodshed it would save “Banzal!’ Hon. Gin Bottel by his collar. “Yes so!" holla Nogl “And name of world Peace, I ask you some- thing more. Would it not be good plan to think up some new Interntl Sport between U. 6 and Europe? | Something different from something else. Already we have had Intl.i Horse Race, Intl. Yackt Race, Intl | Polo Race and Intl. Boat Race—" | “Intl. whiches?” I ask out. | “Boat Race,” he narrate. | “Shux!” I dib. “I thought you said Intl. Boot Race. “You are speaking without musie,” he flunk. “Not so elther!” I convoy with broken strength. “Something dif- | ferent would be International Boot- | I say that while holding | in | | Then up gallups Germany, bristling legg Race, by golly. And 1f it happen I should borra my last 2§ to win & lose.” * x k¥ [ OW could you arrange such il- legal match without Roy Haynes knowing too much about it?" he intelligate. “Such races happen dally without danger from Hon. Haynes,” I snob. “Why not more so? Supposing some spiritual publication should stand up and offer a Silver Mounted Jugg to the forin bootlegz what can race from 12 Mile Limit to 42nd Street, N. Y., carrying the bizgest Liquor with | the shortest speed. Would not this be noble way, by golly, to stimlllate good wishes? Answer is Yes!!!" “By hack, Togo, you have thought something! howell Nog! dearly. “‘Such a brite idea fill me with poetic- kal spasm Therefore he jump to tipewriter and played following composition: | INTERNATIONAL HYMN | Approach, Mary England, with whis- key for lunch & Sweden rosh Punch! Come on, Mrs. at the turn If you want to beat Russia with vodka to burn. in with yr. Nt France, push ahead with beer, billous & queer. But Canada ‘winns with a million art. tub Of Long Island Scotch and Canadlan Club. Cho— The Jags of All Nations, they twinkle and twunk O'er the Land of the Dry and the Home of the Drunk. That were pretty good song, I gass, but I could not hear all of it because I was listening to the S8ax O’'Phone in my head. “Awake up, Togo!" deplore Nogi eyed. Take another swash of this To- mato Gin and maybe it will do some- thing to you* T do so. It did. “Nextly on the pogrom,” decompose Nogl, “are to arrange rules and regla- tions for this International Bootlegz Race. Firstly we must decide where it are to finish.” “I snuggest that he stop at back door of my house.” This from me. “After that I do not care If he stay there forever." “Do not act selfish like a funnel,” snarled Nogl. ‘If you cannot think up a good rule we had better turn this race over to Judge Landis, who are a good umpire.” “Should every nation be admitted to come In?" I ask through my alkohol. “All axept Temperance Nations,” he gob. “ Why should they be out-ruled”’ I require. “Because they are generally too drunk to race” he scollup. *“Who would be Judge for this con- tesh?" are next question for me. “Hon. Willlam Jenny Bryan, usual,” he yap. “Would this be good thing for those Leg Booters?” 1 questionaire. “No. But it would be good thing for Mon. Wm. Jenny.” All I could hear after that were sounds of Nogl. It resemble Hon. lloyed Geo talking about Golf through as |Till Spain makes the Port, 1ooking s bursted radio. I got Into & state of comma. I slep. “Togo!" ZEIZITZZZTITITITIIT-~ BUMPISH! I heard that distinctly, how cool I was. “Togo, are you there, {f anywhere?" he explode beside my brain. “Awake uply and I shall tell you how w. could winn 45c by betting on Turkey.” But Hon. Tomato Gin set on me too heavy, so I dream I am tuning Plan- nas In a Dum ™aiter. Hoping you the same Yours truly HASHIMURA TOGO. to prove “Do not set thers looking so cake- (Copyright, 1823.) TROUBLE AHEAD FOR SIX-FOOTERS Lardner Says Uniform Height Spoils Sleeping Cars. at the present writing, but what is she going to say when everybody is notorfously six and no hundreds fect tall? O the editor: A little while ago they was a convention of sur- geons In Chicago and every- body naturally supposed that they would cut up something terri- ble but it seems like the parties in charge had took the precautions to station a 2 gun man at the entree to the convention hall and it was his duty to frisk each and every delegate as they come in and make them check their sterilized carving set with the cloak rm. gal because it was a cinch that If they had left them all keep thelr full kit of tools, why it was only a question of time when the conven- tion would of resolved itself into a free for all knife throwing contest with the diamond studded cleaver golng to the delegate that made the most and deepest incisions. Well when the boys was deprived of thelr usual ragor edse modes of ad- dress why they was nothing left for them to do only talk and amongst the first to get up was a surgeon from Toronto that has been making a study of the thyrold gland. This gent expressed the opinion that if the proper kind of attention was give to the thyroid gland, the next generation of people would all be six footers men and women alike. ‘Well I dont pretend to know noth- ing about the thyrold gland or what effect it has got on a person’s highth but the brother experts that heard the speech did not seem to think they was anything wrong with it and it was the sense of the meeting that this was the proper time to begin paying attention to the thyrold gland and everybody of both sexes that is born from now on will be six feet tall as soon as they get their growth. Now to & big majority of light thinkers this may not seem a matter of no great importance and in fact I have not heard a opinion expressed either one way or the other in re- gards to same, but I feel pretty sure that the reason for the silence that followed the announcement was be- cause people most vitally interested had not read it or else they don’t realize what it means so it looks like it was up to me to point out a few detalls that may furnish food for thought and perhaps start a howl of protest that will put a quietus on this dangerous scheme before too late. * x o ok N the first place will state that for the past 20 yrs. I have been over six féet tall and in a position to know what I am talking abeut. For seven or eight of those 20 yrs. I spent about % my nights in so called sleeping -ars. Now If you ask & official of the company that makes sleeping cars, they will probably tell you that all “MY SYSTEM USED TO BE TO BERTH, WITH MY FEET STICI LAY DIAGONAL ACROST THE KING OUT IN THE AISLE, AND THE ATHLETES USED TO PRESS LIGHTED CIGARETTES VS. THE SOLES OF THOSE FEET.” sleeping car berths is plenty long enough to accommodate a six footer but personly I never made the ac- qualntance of no six footer employed by sald company that went out of his way to sleep on a train. My system use to be to lay diagonal “AMONGST THE FIRST TO GET UP WAS A SURGEON FROM TORONTO THAT HAD BEEN MAKING A STUDY OF THE THYROID GLAND.” acrost the berth with my feet stick- ing out in the aisle and the athletes with who I traveled use to enjoy many a well deserved laugh by press- ing lighted cigars or cigarettes vs. the soles of those feet and heariny their owner holler for help. So leave me give this little friendly warning to the sleeping car people. You can prove by measurements or what not that all your berths Is over six feet in length but when the time comes where the entire population male and female is composed of peo- ple six feet tall you are going to hear a squawk that will make the late war sound like the reading rm. in the Evanston public library. But that don’t worry me % as much as the effects this thing Is libel to bave on gen. conversation and It seems like it is tough enough right now for people to find something to talk ‘about without putting mo more limitations on same. Like for inst. we will say that they's a gal from West Virginla pay- ing her first visit to New York and for the past 6 yrs. she has been a great admire of a cartoonist name Rube De Groot so the people who she is visiting fixes it up for her to meet Rube De Groot. “Well Mr. De Groot,” she says, “I been a great admire of your work but this is the first time I ever seen you. And do you know I always imagined you would be a short fat man.” ‘Well friends that remark goes big *x % s ND then they's another crack that dont never fall to get a big laugh, namely when a man of medium highth meets a man six feet or over and after the opening remarks the first named eays to the other, how is the weather up there? That s a sure fire crack that will half to go into the discard when tho Toronto surgeon realizes his dream, as will also the old stand-bys like pick en somebody your size and you must be a good dancer, you are so tall, and if I was as big as you I would challenge Dempsey. And last but not lease suppose a man wants to call his gal or his wife by some endearing term and the first thing that come' nto his head is 1ittle gal or littl yman. Under the new . gime she is libel to take advantage of her physical equality and crack him right in the jaw with the remark cut out that little stuf?, you poor shrimp. I have not got space to numerats no more of the widespread defects that this Innovation is bound to have nn the civilised world but trust that my readers will see that the thing is no laughing matter and my earnest plea to each and every person Inter- ted In the future of the race is to ‘write to your congressman. Micro=Thermometer. A DEVICE to give mariners prompt and trustwortv warning of fce- bergs at night ¢© n foggy weather would do much tc rob the sea of its worst remaining danger. The usual | methoa of detecting the presence of icebergs, by dipping water out of tho sea and taking Me temperature, is most unsatisfactory. Not so long ago, however, a professor in a Canadlan university invented an instrument called » micro-thermomoeter, that, be- cause of its delicacy in detecting and of its power to record the slightest changes In temperature, may prove valuable to steamships. The micro-thermometer consists of & water-tight copper cylinder con- taining a second cylinder that is wound with 250 feet of silk-covered iron wire. The apparatus is hung below the waterline of the ship. Every change of temperature In the water causes a corresponding change in the resistance of the coll of wire, and this {8 recorded automatically on an indicator in the pilot house. It is boll-w':' that tha“l.n.n‘r:nent z'm ersl miles away.